***Sahana's P.O.V***

Buddha says - 'He who loves 50 people has 50 woes; he who loves no one has no woes'

Ah the beauty of the statement! I've seen all my friends bickering and troubled thanks to the so called LOVE.

"Sahana can you tell my parents I'm with you? Woh kya hai na, Kabir is taking me out for a romantic date today! So nice of him na?? Please lie when my parents call okay? I'm gonna keep my cell switched off, to enjoy with my baby shona"  said my friend Riya today morning.

I don't know what she had to be so excited about a bloody date?! She had been badgering poor Kabir from the past two weeks to take her out on a date, and now that he's taking her out, what's so exciting about it?

Lying to parents! Ugh! I get a mini heart-attack every time my cell rings, you know? I can't lie! My ass sweats when I lie! And it doesn't help that Riya's mom is the female and Indian version of Adolf Hitler!

Come to think of it, maybe that's why Riya lied to her mom - Hitler se panga kaun lega ab?

I wonder how her mother would react when she gets to know of all the great things her daughter has done behind her back, apart from lying and having a steady boyfriend from the past 3 years....

A new kind of leather would be released into market, called as RIYA's SKIN the day her mother gets to know that her so called innocent and naive daughter has crossed the line with her {you know, done the dirty stuff} with her boyfriend!

So coming to the point - what Buddha said is true! If Riya had no boyfriend, she'd not have to live in fear of her parents finding out about him!

Now look at her - lying to her parents almost everyday! According to her parents, she spends alternative Friday nights at my place... Her mom once complained to my mom saying that I don't do sleepovers at their place at all, and it's always Riya doing sleepover at my place!

Thank God my mom is cool and she knew about all this so she somehow convinced and diverted Riya's mom!!

PHEW! 

I love Riya {not in a lesbian sort of way! I love Riya as a friend okay?} so I have the woe that comes along with that love - I have to lie to her mom to cover-up the lies that Riya lies! {Tongue twister? You bet!}

"Sonu...what are you doing? I have been observing you for some time now...you jump every time your mobile buzzes with a notification. Is everything okay?" bhai asked, making me jump.

"Kya bhai! Even you are scaring me!! When did you come? I never noticed you entering my room!" I asked, placing my hand against my chest to calm the erratically beating heart of mine.

"You would have had noticed if you were in this world! But my dear sister is so busy staring into oblivion that she didn't notice her dear brother enter the room around 10 minutes ago" bhai said, sitting next to me and looking intently at me.

I gave him a sheepish grin before pulling back my laptop to netflix and chill - hey it's a Sunday so don't raise your eyebrow at me!

"Working?" bhai asked in disbelief.

"What? Hey no! I'm not a workaholic like you bhai! It's Sunday...funday...it's my Netflix-and-chill day" I said, starting a new {though already seen it like a 100 times already} episode of FRIENDS.

"I'm not a workaholic Sonu! I just keep myself busy with work..." bhai mumbled, and I saw a grim look pass through his face {I saw his face's reflection on my laptop screen... I know I'm smart *grins*}

"Bhai...is everything alright?" I asked him, pushing my laptop away and facing him.

Nothing is much more important than bhai...not even FRIENDS! Not even Joey learning French!

"Ha Sonu...I'm fine" bhai said, smiling. I am no mind or face reader, but I couldn't help notice how bhai's smile didn't reach his eyes.

"Bhai, I'm your Sonu...tell me na, what happened? You are normally a workaholic, but from the past couple of weeks you are working too much even for a workaholic! You are busier than a bee!! What happened?" I asked, looking intently at him.

"It's nothing...come on I'll watch FRIENDS with you...Joey learns French eh? That's a classic" bhai said, laughing at the end. 

Need I point out that the laugh sounded creepy {like Joker's laugh from BATMAN movies?} because bhai's voice cracked...he's sad.

I'm no detective, but this smile-that-doesn't-reach-the-eyes look, over-workaholism habit, and over-enthusiasm-to-change-topic all suggest that bhai's going through a tough time...

Heartbreak? But bhai has no girlfriend! My bhai is the most handsome guy on Earth {beware girls, don't dare look at my bhai or else I'll make sure that'll be the last thing you ever do... I'm very protective of my bhai!} but he never had any interest in girls {not that he ever had the time to tear his gaze away from his stupid laptop screen or those huge-ass files he always carries around with him}

I have never seen or heard bhai checking out girls....not even film actresses! I even had a fleeting doubt that the organ that's supposed to pump out hormones is absent from bhai's system!

"Girl problem bhai?" I asked him, unable to come up with any other reason.

Bhai's eyes snapped towards me and heat rose to his cheeks as quickly as the vehicle drivers who defy the red-traffic-light when the traffic police isn't around - proving my vague suspicion to be right.

Girl problem?? Bitch be ready to get your ass kicked by me! I may not be a strong and fierce looking, but I can probably kick your ass if you're not too huge!

"Wha...how...no" bhai stuttered, making me giggle.

I know that it's not the time to giggle, but I've never in my whole life seen bhai stuttering like this! It was fun - blushing face, red ears and that stutter... he looked like Porky-pig from the Looney-Tunes cartoon show

"Seriously bhai? Girl issue? I actually had a feeling that you're asexual" I said, giggling, and earning a well deserved smack on my head.

"Ok ok sorry...now tell me, what's the bitch's problem?" I asked, sitting Indian style on the sofa and facing him.

"I uh...never mind" bhai said, his face the perfect shade of vermilion and trying to get up from the sofa, but failing thanks to my timely tug on his arm, making him fall on to the ground - on his ass.

That must have hurt!

But doesn't mean I won't giggle!!

"That hurt Sonu" bhai said, wincing as he rubbed his tushy.

"Sowwie" I said in a baby-tone, holding my ears as a way of pleading forgiveness.

"If you act all cute how can I get angry on my baby sister?" bhai said, pulling me for a hug.

"Now tell me, what happened?" I asked bhai, breaking away from the hug and pulling him to sit on the sofa.

"I uh...had a crush on this girl who works in my office.... my junior...but...um....IrecentlyGotToKnowThatSheAlreadyHasAboyfriend" bhai said, the last part in one go.

"Come again for little fudge?" I said, trying to decipher what he'd just said.

"Ugh! I had a huge crush on my junior and I recently got to know that she already has a boyfriend...she actually considers me as her brother" bhai whined, covering his face by his hands.

"Bhai, it's okay....it's just a crush...you'll get over it soon" I said, soothingly.

"Yeah...but her bastard of a boyfriend has also joined our office now...and well... I have to see them doing PDA's...." bhai groaned, and I couldn't help but giggle, earning a glare from him.

My bhai has a crush on a girl....aww!!

"This is just a part of life.....apko pata hai, why is a crush called as a crush?" I asked him.

"No...why?" he asked, disinterested.

"Arre....when you crush on someone, your heart gets crushed....that's why it's called a crush" I said, giggling.

And finally, my bhai smiled - finally!!

"Bhai...you look extra handsome when you smile like that... maybe you ought to smile more often...who knows, that girl might fall for you?" I asked, winking.

Bhai blushed a little, then shook his head in disagreement as he said "Na na Sonu...it's better like this... I got side-tracked for a while there! I have my dream job and a big project coming up... I can't get distracted from silly girls" 

"Why do you work so much bhai?" I asked him, studying his face - he looks much better now than he did earlier!

"It's my passion Sonu... I've worked hard to be where I am after years and years of studying and coaching and effort! Now I am reaping the fruits of my hard work" he said, smiling and ruffling my hair.

"Aye bhai...you're spoiling my hair" I said, scrunching up my face and pushing his hand away to which he chuckled.

"But bhai, what's the use of working so much? You don't work for money, do you?" I asked him.

"Money is everything, isn't it Sonu? Money matters....but no I don't work for money... I work because I like to work... that's just how I am" he said, shrugging.

"How can money be everything? Can you buy my love from that money? Can you get happiness from money? Can you get lost time with money?" I asked him, raising my eyebrow.

"Well, money can get me ice-cream...which is a way to your heart" bhai said, grinning sheepishly. I chuckled at that - he has a point you know?

"About happiness...money can't buy happiness, no. But, money can buy all those things that make me happy. It can get me the iPhone that you so love, bringing a smile on your face, and thus on mine too!! Money can get me that Banarsi saree in mom's favorite color, bringing a smile on her face, and thus on mine too! Money can get me tickets to cricket match, bringing a smile on dad's face, and thus my face too" bhai said, smiling.

"And about lost time, well, money can't buy that. But, money can buy a good DSLR camera with which I can capture precious moments, thus letting me relive those precious moments again and again, making them immortal" he said.

"Bhai...aap ek kaam karo na? Aap ka yeh job chodh k ek ashram khol do, aur yeh pravachan waha pe karo...aaj kal itne log paiso k peeche bhagte hai...woh sab log aap ko apne guru man lenge...ussi se paise banao" I said, rolling my eyes and folding my hands in form of a prayer.

{translation - bro, do one thing....instead of working at your office, quit your job and open an aashram and preach this shit there...so many people are money minded now-a-days..they'll all take you as their guru and it'll be a way for you to earn your money}

"I'd do that Sonu...but giving free lectures isn't my passion! Machines are!" bhai said, smirking.

"Why do you work so much Sonu?" bhai asked, looking at me like how an inspector would look at a criminal.

"Interrogating me now, are we?" I asked, raising my eyebrow.

Bhai just chuckled.

"I am working to earn money....to become independent. When I get married, I don't want to depend on my husband for money. I want to save enough money that I can have a secure future with it..... I want to go to Paris...using the money that I have saved" I said, grinning proudly.

"Paris?? Oye hoye, kis k sath? Kabhi bataya hi nahi k tere life mein koi hai. Munda kaisa hai? Tujhe pareshan to nahi karta na? Mujhe boliyo agar kuch karta hai to...ek laffa marunga na, seedha Paris jake girega woh" bhai said, protectively, making me roll my eyes.

{Translation -  Paris? With whom? How come you've never told me that there's someone in your life? How's the dude? Does he treat you well? If he doesn't, just tell me... My one slap would land him directly to Paris}

"I thought you were interested to know why I work like an ass, and not about my love-life?" I said, raising my eyebrow.

"Aye no no Sonu...don't get me wrong. But I cannot let any guy break your heart. You're my precious doll... I'll break the bones of any guy who would break your heart" bhai said seriously.

Moment for some AWW right?

"Bhai! I don't have anybody in my life...you know me! I don't believe in love!" I lied.

"And crush?" bhai asked, raising his eyebrow.

"Who said anything about crush? Crush is someone whom you stalk with a sheepish grin on your face, and around whom you act like a fool...and love... I don't know anything about that" I said, shrugging.

"Who's your crush?" bhai asked seriously.

"Ranveer Singh" I said with a dreamy sigh.

"Buss ek baar bool do ki tujhe wahi chahiye....kheench k leke aunga usko" bhai said, winking, making me chuckle.

{Translation - just tell me once that you want him...I'll get him for you}

My brother ladies and gentlemen!

"Bhai!!" I whined.

Our little chit-chat was interrupted by mom calling us for lunch.

Giggling and teasing, we made our way to the dining room for a heavy Sunday lunch.

This is me guys - Sahana Aggarwal.... a shy introvert but has loads and loads on conversations with her conscience, and her bhai... I am as protective of my bhai as he is of me! So keep away from him.

Just because I'm an introvert, doesn't mean I have no life, or no friends, or no social life at all!

It is true that I have no social life - but I chose it to be like that! I hate mingling with people, specially strangers - judgmental glares and fake smiles!

Riya is my best friend {apart from bhai - yes my brother is my best friend} and other than that, all the so called friends in my life are nothing but acquaintances.

A shy introvert who has long conversations, even debates sometimes - that's me! Don't think I'm crazy! Don't you too have long conversations with your sub-conscience mind?

To be continued...